At some point in your life you may have a “head-on collision” with the Lord.  This is a time when you and the Lord have a “face to face” meeting over a sin or a problem in your life.  I call this the Lord’s perfectly timed look.  And how you respond to him will determine the eventual outcome of this meeting.  

In Num 22:31, Balaam faced the Lord’s perfectly timed look.  Balaam had disobeyed the Lord and was on his way to gaining fortune and fame from Balak, the king of the Midianites.  When he saw the angel of the Lord, Balaam bowed down and fell flat on his face.  He looked like he was responding correctly.  After this meeting, when he was before Balak, he spoke spiritual things [Num 22:38]. He offered burnt sacrifices [Num 23:1-2].  He prayed [Num 23:3-5].  He prophesied [Num 23:7-10].  

However, what was only apparent to the Lord is that Balaam actually tried to curse Israel.  Nevertheless, the Lord turned his curse to a blessing [Deut 23:5].  Balaam counseled the women in Midian to fornicate with the men of Israel and to get them to sacrifice to their idols [Num 31:15-16].  24,000 men of Israel died from the plague that resulted [Num 25:1-4, 9]. So, when Israel fought against the Midianites, they slew Balaam [Num 31:8].  He had seen the Lord’s perfectly timed look but he didn’t respond.  He only looked like he had repented.  You don’t want to be like Balaam when you see the Lord’s perfectly timed look in your life. 

If you’re not like Balaam, at the moment you see the Lord’s perfectly timed look:

You’ll weep with godly sorrow – Lk 22:61-62.  The Lord turned and looked upon Peter immediately after the cock crowed.  Peter was certain that he would never deny the Lord. It was this face to face meeting with the Lord that pierced his heart and brought him to tears.  When the Lord turned and looked upon Peter he went out and wept bitterly.  The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Prov 15:3.  When you get that look and you know the Lord is dealing you, you will weep bitterly.  And when you do, he changes your life.

You’ll abhor yourself – Job 42:1-6.  When Job saw the Lord after all those conversations with his friends, he finally understood how great and righteous God is and how abhorrent he was.  He couldn’t grasp this reality while he was defending himself against his friends’ accusations.  But he said, “Now mine eye seeth thee.”  When Job saw that look, it was like he said, “I don’t want to be like this anymore.”  You’ll do the same thing when you “see” the Lord’s perfectly timed look, if you’re not like Balaam.

You’ll repent to salvation – Job 42:1-6.  Job said, “I repent in dust and ashes.”  It doesn’t do you any good to weep and abhor yourself and then continue doing the same thing you have been doing.  When the Lord confronts you, he wants you to quit your sin.  In repentance, you say to yourself, “I’m not going to do this anymore, by the grace of God.”  See 2 Cor 7:10. He came to the end of himself.

You’ll seek the Lord’s will – Acts 9:1-9.  When Paul saw the Lord’s perfectly timed look, he said, “Lord what wilt thou have me to do?”  Pastor Randy says you have to replace what evil is taken out of your life with something good that you put into your life.   You replace the sin with the Lord’s will.  And that’s when you have responded correctly to the Lord’s meeting with you. Paul stayed in the Lord’s will the rest of his life.

Conclusion: When Balaam saw the Lord’s perfectly timed look, he didn’t change.  He put on a good show, like some Christians do.  Don’t do this.  You will destroy yourself.  When Peter, Job and Paul saw the Lord’s look, they changed.  They were never the same again.  And that’s what the Lord wants from you.  When the Lord looks at you, follow these steps. My prayer is that you will have that perfectly timed look from the Lord. And when you do, weep, abhor yourself, repent, and seek the Lord’s will.